Stringed musical instrument.



No. 853,686. PATBNTBD MAY 14, 1907. D. FEATHER & A. CULT.

STRTNGBD MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APFLIGATION FILED BB.Z8.1'906.

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Homey DANIEL FEATHER AND ALVA CULI), F MARION, INDIANA.

STRINGED MUSICAL HNSTRUIWENT Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 190'?.

Application filed February 28, 1906. Serial No. 303,515.

Be it known that we, DANIEL FEATHER and ALvA CULP, citizens ot the United States, residing at Marion, in the county ot Grant and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stringed Musical Instruments, of which the iollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention relates to stringed musical instruments similar to mandolins and guitars, and also to resonators or sounding devices for such instruments.

One object of the invention is to provide a stringed instrument of this character which will have clearer and more pleasing tones than the ordinary mandolins, guitars, and the like` and which will he of very simple construction so that it may be manufactured at less cost than such instruments.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument of this character which will be more convenient to hold. and handl A still Vfurther object ot the invention. is to provide a resonator or sounding device which may be used in connection with stringed instruments such as mandolins7 guitars, banjos, violins, etc., to cause them to produce much clearer and more resonant tones, and which may be either built permanent in the instrument or removablyT attached to it.

Other objects and advantages oi' our invention, as well as the structural features by means ot which these objects are attained, will be made clear by an examination of the specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout, and in which Figure l is a top plan view of our improved stringed musical instrument; Fig. 2 is a lonh gitudinal sectional view through the same, taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. l; and F ig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 1.

The embodiment of our invention .illustrated in the drawings is very much like the ordinary mandolin, the chiel dilierences being the shape of the body l, the provision ol a frame 2 around the neck, and the provision of the resonator or sounding device 3 which. latter is here shown as built in and forming an integral part ot' the body, but which, il desired, may be in the form taohment for stringed instruments of any deolY a removable atl i l l l j scription. The body 1 is made of rectangular shape, as shown, so that it may be easily maiuitactured at a much. smaller cost than similar instruments having curved or bowlshaped bodies. The body l consists of the bottom i, the top 5 having the usual opening 6 formed therein, the upper andv lower ends 7 and. 3, and the sides 9 which have their upper portions 10 extended and connected by transverse pieces 1l. to the neck 12 at a point adjacent to its bridge 13. The neck 12 is similar to the neck o'l an ordinary mandolin and projects lrom the center of the upper portion of the end 7, as clearly shown in Fig. Upon the outer end olE the neck is the usual head li which carries the keys, pegs or similar devices 15 by means of which the strings 16 are stretched. rThe latter are similar to the strings ol. the. ordinary mandolin and are stretched by the devices 15 in the usual manner between the ujper bridge 13 and the lower bridge l7 which latter is located upon the top 5 adjacent to the usual tail piece 13 to which the lower ends of the strings are attached and which. serves as a hand rest. The extended portions l() ol the sides 9 and the transverse or cross pieces l l form a rectangular lrame which surrounds or incloses the neck l2 and. serves as a support to rest against the arm of the performer when the instrument is in use, as will be readily understood. rIhis iframe also permits the instrument to be readily suspended upon a peg, hook or the like on a wall.

The resonator or sounding device 3 is in the form of a box or casing disposed above the upper portion of the top 5 and it may be of any shape, size and. construction'` As here shown, it is of rectangular shape and formed by upwardly-extending integral portions 19 of the sides 9, upper and lower ends 20 and 2l, and a top 22 in i hich latter is formed an opening 23 which is vlocated directly above the opening 6 in the top 5 and is ol: less size than the same. In the lower central portions of the end walls 20 and 2l of the resonator box are slots or openings 24 through which the strings 16 extend, as shown in Fig. 2. The provision. of this box 3 above the sounding board or top 5 of the body l causes the tones produced by picking the strings to be much clearer, and more resonant and voluminous than would. be the case i'lE it 'were omitted., so that stringed. instruments ol all kinds will be greatly improved by its use.

The construction, operation, and advan- IOO IIC

tages o'l the invention will be readily understood lroin the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and a further explanation is deemed unnecessary. .v

While We have shown and described the preferred embodiment o'l the invention, it Will be understood that We do not Wish to be limited to the precise showing herein set forth, since various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construetion may be made Without departing` 'from the spirit or sacri'licing any ot' the advantages o'l the invention, as delined by the appen ded claims. l

Having thus described our said invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. A stringed musical instrument of the character described comprising a rectangular body having an apertured sounding board and sides formed with horizontally extended portions at their Vforward ends and vertical extensions at their upper edges, a neck project ing centrally Vfrom the Vforward end of said body, a transverse piece connecting said neck and the extended forward end portions ol" said sides, slotted ends connecting the vertically-extended portions of the sides of' the body, an apertured plate connecting said ends and thc vertically-extending portions of i l l l the upper edges ol" said sides, and strings extending through the slots and aero theapertures in said sounding board and connected at the other end with the neck, substantially as shown and described.

2. A stringed musical instrument ol" the character described comprising a body portion, a resonator box composed of extensions formed integral With the body portion, an. apertured plate connecting the tops ol 'the extensions, slotted plates connecting thc edges ot said extensions, said body portion comprising an apertured soundi ngb o ard beneath the rosonator, a neck carried: by the body portion, a tail piece carried by the body portion, strings stretched across the aperture in the sounding board and through the slots, said strings being connected at one end with said tail piece and at the other with the neck, a trame conlprising parallel arms formed integral with the sides olz the body, and a cross-piece connecting the ends olf said. arms and forming a rest or support for the outer portion ot the neck, subsi'iantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto alix our signature in presence ot two witnesses.

DAN llli FEA'llll Il. ALVA CULI).`

litnesses ELI JONES, J. lV. Funes. 

